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1982 Professional Players Tournament
The 1982 Professional Players Tournament was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place in two venues in the Birmingham area. One was at the La Reserve in Sutton Coldfield and the other was the International Snooker Club in Aston. It was the first tournament in a series which is now known as the World Open. The event was untelevised and unsponsored. Ray Reardon defeated Jimmy White 10–5 in the final, to win the first prize of £5,000 and his first ranking tournament win since the 1978 World Championship. Reardon became the oldest winner of a ranking event at the age of 50 years and 14 days. As of 2025, he remains as the oldest winner of a ranking event. Six places in the 1983 Masters were allocated to the players, not already in the field, who advanced furthest in the event. They were semi-finalist John Virgo, quarter-finalists Joe Johnson, Dean Reynolds and Bill Werbeniuk, and Mark Wildman and Tony Meo who lost in the last 16. Main draw Final Centur ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
World Open (snooker)
The World Open is a professional Snooker world rankings, ranking snooker tournament. Throughout its history, the tournament has undergone numerous revamps and name changes. It started out in 1982 as the Professional Players Tournament, but for most of the 1980s and 1990s it was known as the Grand Prix. It was renamed the LG Cup from 2001 to 2003 before reverting to the ''Grand Prix'' until 2010. Since then it has been known as the ''World Open''. During 2006 and 2007, it was played in a unique Round-robin tournament, round-robin format, more similar to FIFA World Cup, association football and Rugby World Cup, rugby tournaments than the knock-out systems usually played in snooker. The knock-out format returned in 2008 with an FA Cup-style draw. The random draw was abandoned after the 2010 edition. John Higgins is the reigning champion, having won his fifth title at the tournament. History The tournament was created in 1982 Professional Players Tournament, 1982 as the Professional ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bill Werbeniuk
William Alexander Werbeniuk ( ; 14 January 1947 – 20 January 2003) was a Canadian professional snooker and pool player. Recognisable for his girth, he was nicknamed "Big Bill". Werbeniuk was a four-time World Championship quarter-finalist and also a UK Championship semi-finalist, reaching a career high world ranking of #8 for the 1983–84 season. Early life Werbeniuk was born on 14 January 1947 in Winnipeg. His paternal grandfather had immigrated to Canada from Ukraine; his father, according to Werbeniuk, "was one of the biggest fences in Canada" and "committed armed robberies, peddled drugs, every larceny in the language." His father also owned Pop's Billiards on Logan Avenue in Winnipeg, where Werbeniuk began playing snooker as a child. Werbeniuk spent a portion of his youth travelling with Cliff Thorburn and playing pool for money. Career Werbeniuk won the Amateur Championship in 1973, with a 16–15 victory against Robert Paquette after being 12–15 behind. This qualifi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ray Edmonds
Earnest Raymond Edmonds (born 25 April 1936 in Grimsby, Lincolnshire), better known as Ray Edmonds, is a former English professional player of English billiards and snooker. He twice won the World Amateur Snooker title, and won the World Professional Billiards Championship in 1985. Playing career Edmonds first played snooker as an amateur, winning the World Amateur crown in 1972 and 1974. After turning professional he reached the main stages World Snooker Championship on four occasions, in 1980, 1981, 1985 and 1986, on each occasion losing in the first round. He was as a semi-finalist at the 1981 English Professional Championship, and runner-up in the invitational 1982 Bass and Golden Leisure Classic. Edmonds became World Professional Billiards Champion in 1985. At the 1988 Grand Prix (snooker), he reached the last-16 round. In the qualifying competition for the 1994 World Snooker Championship, he lost 3–5 to Surinder Gill, and the following year he lost 4–5 to Darr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dennis Taylor
Dennis Taylor (born 19 January 1949) is a Northern Irish retired professional snooker player and current commentator. He turned professional in 1972 and won the 1985 World Snooker Championship, in which he lost the first eight frames of 1985 World Snooker Championship final, the final to defending champion Steve Davis but recovered to win 18–17 in a duel on the last . The final's conclusion attracted 18.5 million viewers, setting UK viewership records for any post-midnight broadcast and for any broadcast on BBC Two that still stand. Taylor had previously been runner-up at the 1979 World Snooker Championship, where he lost the final 16–24 to Terry Griffiths. He attained his highest world snooker rankings, world ranking in Snooker world rankings 1979/1980, 1979–1980, when he was second. He won one other ranking title at the 1984 Grand Prix (snooker), 1984 Grand Prix, where he defeated Cliff Thorburn 10–2 in the final. He reached two other World Open (snooker), Grand Prix ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colin Roscoe
Colin Roscoe (born 30 June 1945 in Connah's Quay, Flintshire) is a Welsh former professional snooker player. Career Born on 30 June 1945 in Connah's Quay, Flintshire, Roscoe won the Welsh Amateur Championship in 1981 and soon after turned professional. He reached his highest ranking of 39th for the 1984/1985 season, and progressed to the last 32 stage of ten ranking tournaments in the following eight years. Roscoe first made any notable progress at the 1982 International Open, where he defeated John Dunning and Doug French but lost 0–5 to Steve Davis in the last 32. Two years later, he reached the last 16 at the 1984 Classic, losing 2–5 to Terry Griffiths. He won three matches to appear in the last 32 at the 1988 Classic, eliminating Paul Watchorn, Wayne Jones and Eddie Charlton before losing 0–5 to Tony Knowles. Last-32 finishes at three ranking events followed in the 1988/1989 season. At the 1988 Canadian Masters, Roscoe lost 1–5 to David Taylor; the 1988 U ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Terry Griffiths
Terence Martin Griffiths (16October 19471December 2024) was a Welsh professional snooker player, coach and pundit. After winning several amateur titles, including the Welsh Amateur Championship (snooker), Welsh Amateur Championship in 1975 and back-to-back English Amateur Championships in 1977 and 1978, Griffiths turned professional in June 1978 at the age of 30. In his second professional tournament, he qualified for the 1979 World Snooker Championship. He reached the final of the event where he defeated Dennis Taylor by 24 to 16. This was only the second time a qualifier had won the World Snooker Championship, after Alex Higgins in 1972 World Snooker Championship, 1972; only Shaun Murphy in 2005 World Snooker Championship, 2005, and Zhao Xintong in 2025 World Snooker Championship, 2025 has since emulated the achievement. In 1988 World Snooker Championship, 1988, Griffiths again reached the final of the competition. He was tied with Steve Davis, 8–8, but lost the match 11 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Donnelly (snooker Player)
Jim Donnelly (born 13 June 1946) is a Scotland, Scottish former professional snooker player who now coaches. He was accepted by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) as a professional in 1981. He was seeded 29th in the world rankings for the 1982–1983 season. He played in the World Snooker Championship 1982, 1982 World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, the first Scottish professional player to do so, where he was eliminated in the first round in a match against Ray Reardon. He also reached the final of the 1987 Scottish Professional Championship, where he was defeated by a young Stephen Hendry. Donnelly is now using his skills in snooker to provide snooker coaching lessons to people of all ages. Donnelly has pioneered the Scottish game being the first Scot to compete at the crucible and as a coach, coaching the likes of John Higgins, Alan McManus and many of the top Scottish Junior players. References External links * Scottis ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Watterson
George Michael Edwin Watterson (26 August 1942 – 8 March 2019) was an English professional snooker player, businessman, sports promoter and television commentator. Watterson established the UK Snooker Championship and moved the World Championship to the Crucible Theatre, where it has remained ever since. He also created the World Professional Darts Championship, staged the first floodlit cricket in Britain and had a stint as chairman of Derby County. Early life George Michael Edwin Watterson was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire on 26 August 1942, the son of steelworker George Watterson and Olive (née Pilkington), and was the third of four children. Business activities Watterson's early business career saw him work as a wages clerk and then as a car dealer. He was a salesman with the Sheffield-based Vauxhall dealers, Bentley Brothers, and was one of the first people in the country to sell the Vauxhall Viva when it was introduced in 1963. In 1977, his late wife, Ca ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bernard Bennett
Bernard Bennett (31 August 1931 – 12 January 2002) was an English player of snooker and English billiards, whose professional career spanned from 1969 to 1995, during which he experienced limited success as a player. He owned the Castle Snooker Club in Southampton, which opened in 1970 and was one of the first modern snooker centres. From there, he staged professional and pro-am competitions that attracted the leading players of the day. He turned professional in 1968, despite not having a track record of success as an amateur. He entered every World Snooker Championship from 1969 to 1995, with the exception of the November 1970 Championship, which was held in Australia, and that of 1993. In 1971 he challenged Rex Williams for the World Billiards championship title. He lost the match, played at the Castle Club, by 4,058 points to 9,250. Playing career Bernard Bennett was born in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey on 31 August 1931 and was introduced to snooker by his elder ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jim Meadowcroft
James Meadowcroft (15 December 1946 – 25 September 2015), better known as Jim Meadowcroft, was an English professional snooker player who latterly was a coach and a commentator on the game. His most successful years were during the 1970s; he was ranked number 12 in the world in 1976–77 and reached the second round of the world championship three times. Meadowcroft is the author of ''Higgins, Taylor and Me'' and served as a director of pro snooker's governing body the WPBSA. Meadowcroft reached the last 16 of the World Championship in 1974, however he lost 10–16 to 6 times world champion Ray Reardon. He went one step further in 1976, reaching the quarter-final by beating Rex Williams 15–7, before he was beaten 8–15 by Perrie Mans. He also progressed to the quarter-final of the 1977 UK Championship (The inaugural edition of the tournament), beating Pat Houlihan and Ray Reardon both by 5–4 scoreline, before being beaten by eventual winner Patsy Fagan, once again by a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fred Davis (snooker Player)
Fred Davis (14 August 1913 – 16 April 1998) was an English professional player of snooker and English billiards. He was an eight-time World Snooker Championship winner from 1948 to 1956, and a two-time winner of the World Billiards Championship. He was the brother of 15-time world snooker champion Joe Davis; the pair were the only two players to win both snooker and English billiards world championships, and Fred is second on the list of those holding most world snooker championship titles, behind Joe. Davis' professional career started in 1929 at the age of 15 as a billiards player. He competed in his first world snooker championship in 1937 and reached the final three years later, losing to Joe by 36–37. From 1947, Davis played in five straight finals against Scottish player Walter Donaldson, winning three. When the event merged into the World Professional Match-play Championship in 1952, Davis won five more championships, defeating Donaldson three times and then John ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eddie Sinclair
Eddie Sinclair (5 May 1937 – 23 January 2005) was a Scottish professional snooker player. Career Sinclair turned professional in 1979 at the relatively advanced age of 42, reaching a high ranking of 26th in 1982 and holding that position for two years. He won the 1980 and 1982 editions of the Scottish Professional Championship, beating Chris Ross 11–6 in the former and Ian Black 11–7 in the latter, and reached the final in 1983 and 1985, losing to Murdo MacLeod 11-9 and 10–2. Sinclair enjoyed his best performance in a ranking event at the 1982 Professional Players Tournament, where he beat the veteran Fred Davis 5–2 and Jim Meadowcroft 5–3 before being defeated 5–3 by Terry Griffiths Terence Martin Griffiths (16October 19471December 2024) was a Welsh professional snooker player, coach and pundit. After winning several amateur titles, including the Welsh Amateur Championship (snooker), Welsh Amateur Championship in 1975 an ... in the last 16. He also a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |